The late King Hussein bin Talal was the ruler of Jordan from 1952 until his death in 1999, making him one of the longest-reigning heads of state in modern times. In fact, Hussein was named king of Jordan when he was just 17 years old. Can you imagine running an entire country at that age? Well, King Hussein did. And he is regarded as having done a pretty good job, too.

Among his achievements, King Hussein is perhaps most widely known for the Israel-Jordan Peace Treaty with Israeli Prime Minister, Yitzhak Rabin. Signed in 1994, the treaty outlined the requirements for a peaceful relationship between Israel and Jordan.

In addition to leading Jordan for more than four decades, King Hussein was an avid pilot and scuba diver. He also had an insatiable passion for sports cars and loved to ride motorcycles.

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Text: Adam Sewall